Nantie Hayward and Gareth Batty made a major impact on the two remaining issues in the Second Division of the Frizzell County Championship at New Road.

The only players among Worcestershire front-line bowlers fit to play put their county back on top of the table and questioned Yorkshire's chances of snatching the third and last promotion spot.

They shared eight wickets to seal a fifth consecutive win - and a 10th in 12 games since May - as Yorkshire lost by 71 runs when dismissed for 164 with 20 overs to spare on the last day. Batty, soon to be preparing for his first tour with England, locked up one end, taking four for 57 in 20 overs.

Hayward, the South African Test exile, bowled with hostility for his four for 37.

Worcestershire only need to draw their last match against Northamptonshire to be sure of the title but Yorkshire now have to beat Gloucestershire at Headingley to overhaul the third-placed West Country team.

They will begin the showdown fixture with a deficit of 8.5 points after losing one of their eight points from this match because of a slow over-rate. Batty and Hayward carried a burden in sustaining Worcestershire's bid to become the first county to be unbeaten throughout a season since the championship split into two divisions in 2000.

They started the match without Matt Mason because of a shin injury and England paceman Kabir Ali was unable to bowl in the second innings because of a badly bruised instep.

Kabir was injured when given out leg-before as Chris Silverwood took three of the last four wickets in the morning to dismiss Worcestershire for 251.

Silverwood finished with five for 63 but his best championship performance in more than two years went to waste during a grim afternoon for Yorkshire.

Hayward began their troubles when Chris Taylor was lbw to the last ball before lunch and had fellow opener Matthew Wood caught behind in his third over after the interval. Vic Craven and Silverwood fell to slip catches.

Hayward's second spell accounted for Craig White and Richard Dawson, and though Richard Blakey held for 31, Yorkshire's misery was complete when Ben Smith ran out Matthew Hoggard.